Race equality

To provide part-time courses of study to meet the changing educational, cultural and training needs of adults who are engaged in earning their livelihood, and others who are able to benefit;

To enable adult students from diverse social and educational backgrounds to participate in our courses;

To maintain and develop excellence in research and research training in all our subject areas;

To make available the results of research, and the expertise acquired, through teaching, publication, partnerships with other organisations and the promotion of civic and public debate.

Birkbeck College is committed to maintaining and enhancing a culture in which diversity and equality of opportunity are actively promoted and in which unlawful discrimination is not tolerated. The College will develop, improve and maintain an environment that values the diversity of its students and staff.

The College’s Equal Opportunities Policy encompasses its Race Equality Policy, which is itself supported by relevant action plans developed to address and implement the policy in relation to staff and student issues.

Birkbeck College believes in the principle of social justice, recognises that discrimination affects people in complex ways and is committed to challenging all forms of inequality. To this end, the College’s aim is to ensure that equality principles are embedded in all strategic, College, Faculty, School and Departmental plans so that it can continue to be able to attract and retain high quality staff and students. The College’s stance will aid its relations with other bodies, and enhance its reputation for undertaking high quality research and teaching that meets the needs of all its students.

The College recognises that successful implementation of its Race Equality Policy is dependent on wide consultation with all the relevant bodies and individuals, of which its community is made up. This includes: Governors, staff, students, trade unions, the Students’ Union, senior management, relevant College committees and external bodies with which the College has partnerships.